LEGISLATIVE UPDATE-- Friday, May 20, 2005 Friends, It's been a challenging and interesting week. On a personal level, I've been suffering from a respiratory virus. It's been tough keeping track of all the legislative activity while fighting a nasty cold. Legislatively, we've been dealing with the contentious issues of school funding, campaign finance reform, and health care coverage. As the workload speeds up, it becomes more and more difficult to keep track of the issues. More bills are being sent from the House to the Senate, and we're receiving more bills from the Senate for approval. The timeline for public notice will shorten and it will be harder to keep constituents involved in the legislative process. Please continue to write and call me, sharing your views about bills that matter to you. I want and need that input as I make considered decisions on the issues. SCHOOL FUNDING -- DELAYS AND DUELING Together with many of my colleagues, I have been working to secure $5.4 billion in funding for K-12 schools. Session after session we continue to fund schools at inadequate levels. Classrooms are overcrowded; staff is overworked; and supplies and services are lacking. My constituents have consistently and clearly told me that schools need at least $5.4 billion to avoid more cuts. On Tuesday, the House had the opportunity to debate and vote on a $5.4 billion appropriation for schools. Rather than actually engaging in a school funding discussion, Republican leadership used an obscure parliamentary procedure to stop all debate and postpone that discussion until August 31st. August 31! Our school districts are making their budgets NOW; they are deciding staffing levels NOW. We can't wait until August 31st. Whatever happened to the campaign slogan, "Fund Schools First!"? We've been hearing a lot in the news about the US Senate invoking the "nuclear option" to stop debate on Supreme Court judge nominations. While maybe not "nuclear," this was certainly a "dirty bomb" tactic. It used a parliamentary procedure to stop debate, and it sets a precedent for the party in power to halt discussion of ANY topic they prefer to avoid. Regardless of school funding issue, I oppose these tactics and firmly believe open discussion is essential to a well-functioning legislature. I am still committed to adequately funding public schools and will continue to fight for $5.4 billion for K-12 schools. MENTAL HEALTH PARITY Today, the House Health and Human Services Committee held its first hearing on SB 1, mental health parity. This bill prohibits group health insurers from imposing treatment limitations, limits on total payments or financial requirements on coverage for chemical dependency, including alcoholism, and for mental or nervous conditions unless similar limitations or requirements are imposed on coverage of other medical conditions. As a member of the Governor�s Mental Health Task Force, I strongly support this bill. The brain is an organ of the body like any other. Mental illnesses and addiction are treatable conditions, just like diabetes and MS. With proper medication and monitoring, people suffering from severe mental illness hold jobs, pay taxes and are contributing members of our communities. This bill requires insurance companies to recognize that fact and treat mental illness just as it would any other illness. The Senate has already passed SB 1. The Governor�s Task Force and Senate President Peter Courtney have identified this bill as a top priority. I encourage you to contact Speaker Karen Minnis and Chair Billy Dalto (rep.karenminnis@state.or.us and rep.billydalto@state.or.us) urging them to move SB 1 out of committee and onto the House floor for a vote . CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM � HB 3458 HB 3458 is the legislature�s response to the discovery of �irregularities� that have come to light in recent campaign finance reports. The intent of this bill is to ensure greater accountability and transparency in political campaigns, and help restore credibility to our elected public officials. HB 3458 increases the fine for converting excess political campaign funds to personal use, prohibits candidates from charging their own campaigns for professional services, and prohibits candidates from using campaign funds to reimburse for food or lodging expenses on days that they also receive per diem from the state (double dipping). Additionally, the bill allows the Secretary of State to inspect campaign financial transactions and institutes a web-based on-line campaign finance reporting system. Affectionately known as the �Dan Doyle Memorial,� this bill makes some much needed changes to current law. HB 3458 passed the House on Wednesday and now moves to the Senate. I support this bill and look forward its final passage. BILL UPDATES -- WOMEN�S HEALTH AND WELLNESS BILLS SB 849, Urgent Access to Emergency Contraception. This bill allows women to acquire emergency contraception pills (ECPs) directly from their pharmacist. ECPs have been proven safe and effective. However, the more quickly they are taken the more effective they are in preventing pregnancy. Over 50% of all pregnancies in Oregon are unintended; unintended pregnancies are associated with an increased risk of domestic violence, low birth weight babies, and delays in obtaining prenatal care. ECPs can make a real difference in cutting down on the number of unintended pregnancies and subsequently reducing the negative consequences that may be associated with them. The bill passed the Senate on Tuesday and now comes to the House for deliberation. HB 2662, Unemployment Insurance for Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking. This bill allows victims or parents/guardians of victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking to qualify for unemployment benefits if they leave their job because it becomes dangerous for that individual to attend work. Many victims, who decide to leave an abusive situation are forced to quit their jobs because their abuser can find them at their workplace. Without financial resources, it becomes difficult if not impossible for a victim to escape an abusive situation. Introduced by first-term Representative Paul Holvey, (D-Eugene) this bill passed the House unanimously and has now been referred to the Senate Commerce Committee for consideration. As always, thank you for your interest and continued involvement in our communities and the legislative process. My best, Carolyn Tomei PS. If you prefer not to receive my weekly update, let me know so I can remove your address from our mailing list. I also post these notices on my website at http://www.leg.state.or.us/tomei/home.htm. Feel free to email rep.carolyntomei@state.or.us or call 503-986-1441 if you have questions, or if you wish to share important issues.